Author: Paul Tunkin

Alfa 9‘s second album ‘Gone To Ground‘ is released today! The band have signed the first 100 copies, but they’ll only by available from the official Blow Up / Alfa 9 shop – click here to order yours! The album is available from all good stockists including Amazon.co.uk and to download from stores including iTunes … More stockists here…

Plus you can buy their other releases, including other limited goodies. There are even a few copies of their first album ‘Then We Begin‘ on vinyl signed by the first line-up.

Alfa went down a storm last Saturday at This Feeling at what was their first gig in 4 years. They made a few friends along the way! The band have 2 dates lined up in their hometown Stoke, and will be back in London in 2 weeks time to support Cornershop live dates here …

Alfa 9 are dropping in to BBC 6Music this Wednesday afternoon for a chat with Steve Lamacq about their new album ‘Gone To Ground‘ – out March 11th. They’ll be on air from 5pm so don’t forget to tune in!

Blow Up – it all started 20 years ago today! Saturday 16th October 1993 in the upstairs of the Laurel Tree in Camden! And we’re pleased to announce that our official 20th Birthday Bash will be on  February 15th 2014 at The Bussey Building  – stay tuned!  And a massive thanks to everyone who made it down to  Blow Up for a packed night at the Bussey Building on Saturday ! And of course to The Bongolian + David Woodcock + D.B Cohen and our own Paul Tunkin on deck duties – we’ll be back before February for our  Christmas Party on Saturday 14th December ! BLOWUP.CO.UK CLUB: • LABEL:  • ALL:

‘Beggars Can’t Be Choosers’ / ‘Tease’ is the 2nd single (double A-Side) from David Woodcock and will be release on November 25th a ltd. 500-only seven-inch on the Blow Up 45 Series (dinked in house bag) & digital download.

PRE-ORDER with FREE MP3 Download here exclusively from BLOW UP SHOP

It follows his debut ‘Same Things‘ (still available as free DD) which has had strong radio support from Steve Lamacq (BBC 6 Music), John Kennedy (Xfm X-posure Hot One) and Gary Crowley (BBC London):

“A great little pop record”STEVE LAMACQ, BBC 6MUSIC

“Essex has a bit of form when it comes to delivering maverick pop geniuses with a gift for mixing a smidgeon of music hall with a dash of 60s pop and creating inspired, but intelligent tunes”BRANDISH.TV

David is a singer-songwriter based in his hometown of Southend-on-Sea, a pianist and prolific writer, with a strong local following he has been building up a solid songbook of sharp lyrics and great melodies that are currently being distilled into his debut album that is set for release early 2014.

Congratulations to our very own Alfa 9 – winner of this weeks BBC 6 Music Rebel Playlist with ‘El Morocco‘ with 55% of the public vote, and thanks to everyone who voted!

They also dropped intoBBC Merseyside last Saturday  too for a session and chat with Dave Monks which you can listen back to here if you’re quick!

A Blow Up Records double header as both The Bongolian and David Woodcock are set to play Blow Up at The Bussey Building this October!

Alfa 9 are up for the BBC 6 Music Rebel Playlist this week on the Steve Lamacq show with their forthcoming single ‘El Morocco‘!

Send an email to lamacq.6music@bbc.co.uk with subject ‘Alfa9’ before midnight on Sunday 22nd September to vote or you can read more / vote here

“Each week we ask you to vote on your favourite track from three that almost made it onto the official 6 Music Playlist. The winning track will get a play on each daytime programme the following week” BBC 6 Music

We’re pleased to announce that the Blow Up club will be launching at the Bussey Building in Peckham on Saturday 12th October (followed by December 14th and February 15th) for a new bi-monthly residency as part of our Anniversary celebrations!   With Blow Up DJ & founder Paul Tunkin plus live guests guests The Bongolian , David Woodcock and DB Cohen. Expect classic tracks from both Blow Up’s past and present: from Brit Pop era favourites (the scene which the club helped kick-start way back in 1993 in Camden Town) to the current new Pop stylists putting the art back into pop . . .  Brit Pop, Glam, Mod & New Wave colliding with 60’s Soul, Beat, Garage, Funk, Ska, Swinging Soundtracks, Hammond Heavy Jazz, Easy Listening & Ye-Ye! More info coming soon – check out our  website  & follow us on  Facebook  & Twitter  for the latest updates… More info   •   Map

Daiquiri Fantomas debut album ‘MHz Invasion‘ is out this week (UK)!  Daiquiri Fantomas are a Sicilian experimental Avant-Pop duo founded by composers and multi-instrumentalists Marco Barrano and Dario Sanguedolce, Daiquiri Fantomas is a cocktail of ideas with a Retro-Futuristic flavour, citing the 60s/70s, encompassing Prog, electronica, Sci-Fi movie soundtracks, Kosmische, World and ancient music:

“A fascinating combination of sounds and ideas, drawing from the last half-century of electronic music”SHINDIG!

“Like John Barry who’s just taken delivery of a new Moog. Very filmic”RADCLIFFE & MACONIE, BBC 6MUSIC

The album features debut single ‘Moon Raga‘ and ‘Moogchile‘ which have had spins so far on BBC Radio 2 from Huey Morgan and BBC 6 Music from Steve Lamacq, Radcliffe & Maconie, Gideon Coe, Don Letts & Elizabeth Alker.

Get a taste of the music by watching the album trailer on on Daiquiri Fantomas’ website here or on YouTube here. The album is available from the Blow Up Shop & all good shops on CD includingPiccadilly Records, Rough Trade, Resident Records, Norman& Amazon and as a download/stream from Bandcamp, iTunes, Google Play, Spotify, Amazon MP3, eMusic, Rdio & more…

more album info / where to buy

Daiquiri Fantomas  ‘ MHz Invasion ‘ stock has just landed at  Blow Up Records  HQ – looking suitably space-age! Check out the space-age sampler on YouTube …